Holy dialogue, Batman!

~Monday, November 13: Late~

Sobbing and crying, Julie locked herself in the bathroom and drew herself a hot bath. It wasn't until she glanced in the mirror at her ugly red-rimmed eyes that she realized she still had Ben's jacket wrapped tightly around her shoulders. She wanted to throw it down—he had left her for another girl after all—but she just couldn't. She hugged it close, inhaling the scent of his body and imagining that the warmth she felt was left over from his body heat.

Another sob escaped her, but she fought back her tears.

Julie stripped out of her damp clothes, laid Ben's green jacket down on the vanity, and sank deep into the warmth of the tub. For a moment, she just enjoyed the hot water and tried to relax, but she couldn't. Her mind kept returning to what Ben had said about that other girl he was in love with. She couldn't help feeling that he was lying to her, but why would he? What possible reason could he have for lying to break up with her? It just didn't make sense.

She sank deeper and blew some bubbles on the surface of the water.

Maybe Gwen could shine some light on the situation. Yeah, that was a good idea. Tomorrow, she would call Gwen and ask her what was wrong with Ben. Maybe he needed to lay eggs again or something equally alien. Either there was an explanation, or Julie would just have to accept that her relationship with Ben Tennyson was over for good. A single tear dripped down her face. She could only hope that wasn't the case. If she was lucky, it was only a simple problem between them with a simple solution.

…

"When I get my hands on Ben, I'm going to kick his ass," Kevin growled as he drove himself and his girlfriend home. Kevin hadn't gotten over anything—neither being locked up in a bubble of mana nor of Ben taking a swing at him. Sometimes, he was the epitome of immature.

Gwen sighed. "Kevin, I'm worried about Ben."

"Why? Because I'm going to deck him?"

She elbowed him hard in the arm. "I mean it, Kevin, knock it off. This juvenile attitude is really unbecoming."

"Huh?"

She glowered at him. "Aren't you worried?"

"About Ben? No," he said. "Why would I be?"

"Are you really that dense?" she asked.

Kevin just stared at her.

"It's about him and Julie," Gwen said. "We were talking and Ben's just really down. I've never seen him like this."

"They've had a lot of problems. I'm sure they'll work it out."

"I don't know, Kevin."

The car slid to a stop outside her house, headlights lighting up Gwen's favorite tree in the front yard. She fought back a yawn of exhaustion, kissed her boyfriend delicately on the lips, grinned when Kevin tried to deepen it and was denied, and got out of the car. Waving to Kevin, she enjoyed the way he waited at the curb until he was sure she was safely inside the house even though she could more than take care of herself. Then, she watched him pull away from the window.

"Gwenie?" her mother, Natalie, called. She was seated on the couch, watching television absently. "How was your day?"

"Typical," Gwen said with a roll of her shoulders. "I'm going to shower and go to bed. I'm beat."

"Alright honey. Ben was here to see you."

"Did he say what he wanted?"

Natalie shook her head. "No, but he looked pretty upset. I asked him if he wanted to stay to wait for you, but he said no, turned into one of those hideous aliens," she shuddered dramatically and Gwen rolled her eyes, "and flew away."

Gwen bit her lip. "I'll give him a call right now. Thanks Mom." She hurried up to her room, pressing the second speed dial on her cell phone, and cradling it to her ear. When Ben picked up, she could immediately tell that he had been crying. His voice was ragged and broken. "Ben, what's wrong?"

"I broke up with Julie," he confessed.

"What? Why?" Gwen's knuckles whitened on the phone.

Ben hesitated. "Doctor Animo kidnapped her tonight."

"Oh my god. Is she alright?"

"He punched her in the face," he muttered. "She has a black eye."

"But she's okay other than that?"

"Yeah," he said softly.

"So, why did you break up with her, Ben?"

"It's too dangerous for her to be with me, Gwen. Animo went after her to get to me."

Gwen repeated, "But she's alright."

"But what if it isn't Animo next time? We all know what a joke he is so she wasn't in much danger, but he still hurt her. What if Vilgax were to take her? She wouldn't…" he choked.

"Oh, Ben," Gwen whispered. She knew exactly where he was coming from.

He sniffled and she heard him blow his nose.

"You're really hurting, aren't you?"

"I really cared about her, Gwen."

"It's not too late, Ben," she whispered.

"Yes it is."

Her heart leaped. "What did you do?"

"I told her that I was in love with another girl."

"Oh Ben…"

"If I had told her the truth, I know she would have talked me out of it."

"Doesn't that mean something, Ben?" she murmured.

"Yeah. I'm weak," he said bitterly. "I can't even protect Julie."

"Ben—"

"No, Gwen. I know I did the right thing." His voice broke. "I've got to go." And he hung up abruptly.

Gwen gazed at the phone, flashing 'Call Ended' at her. "Oh Ben… I don't think you did," she whispered. "You should listen to your heart, Ben. It's better than even your gut."

~Next Day, Tuesday, November 14: Afternoon~

Will Harangue (1) was on television, berating Ben and proclaiming him a 'Menace To Beat All Others' as usual. At Ben's deserted house, Kevin and Gwen were sitting on the couch, watching to see what nonsense the news anchor would be coming up with today. Across Bellwood, Julie was watching also, hoping to find out who the girl Ben was in love with was. Ben was hiding out with Jimmy, watching as well. None of them knew just what Harangue was planning for tonight's broadcast—it was going to be the worst one yet.

"Scandal!" Harangue shouted, banging his fist. He really was a despicable person. "Could Ben Tennyson be having an incestuous relationship with his cousin, Gwendolyn?" And the screen became filled with the image of Gwen tightly embracing Ben yesterday after he had taken a swing at Kevin.

Gwen's eyes shot wide open, her knuckles whitening around her cup. "What?" she shouted.

"Hey, where was I?" Kevin asked, surveying the picture.

"You were in a bubble," Gwen said absently and then shouted, "I can't believe he'd air this! What is wrong with that man!"

"He's looking to take Ben down," Kevin said plainly, popping some kettle corn into his mouth.

Gwen let out a wordless sound of rage.

"Don't worry. We'll just tell Jimmy about his latest lie and the kid will post a rebuttal all over the internet."

"That's not the point!" Gwen shouted. "How dare he! Ben is my cousin!"

Kevin shrugged.

Harangue continued shouting, his body back-dropped by the picture of Ben and Gwen. "Do we just allow this troubled and dangerous youth loose on the streets? Or should action be taken against the menace that is Ben Tennyson? But we leave this decision up to you, the viewing public!"

…

Across Bellwood, the remote fell out of Julie's hands, but then she shook herself.

"That's ridiculous," she told the TV set. "There's no way that's possible."

And she was convinced of that so she turned off the television and poured herself a glass of orange juice, sipping it absently as she meandered the house. So, as usual and once again, Will Harangue's news about Ben was completely fake. But how could Julie figure out what was up with Ben? It wasn't as if she could call him. She had tried, but he wasn't answering his mobile. But, she could always call Gwen.

…

Gwen's mobile began to vibrate and ring loudly on the coffee table. When the Caller ID told Gwen that it was Julie calling, she wasn't sure if she should answer. Ben wanted to cut all ties with Julie to keep her safe, but Gwen and Julie were friends. "What do you think?" she asked Kevin.

He shrugged. "I'm going to get a soda. Do you want one?"

Gwen sighed exasperatedly at Kevin's back and answered her phone. "Hi Julie. If you were watching the Harangue Nation, it's all lies, I assure you."

Julie laughed a little. "I know that. Can I talk to you about Ben?"

"I don't know, Julie."

"Please?"

"Alright, but I might not be able to tell you anything," Gwen relented. "But if you just need a friendly ear, I'm here for you."

"Both actually. Did Ben tell you that he… broke up with me for another girl?"

"He did."

"Do you know who it is?"

"No, I don't."

"But you know everything about Ben," Julie whispered.

"I don't know everything, Julie," she said softly, but that as a lie. She and Ben had absolutely no secrets from each other.

Julie sniffled. "Why do you think he did this to me?"

Gwen wanted so badly to tell Julie the truth, but she couldn't meddle in Ben's life, no matter how badly she wanted to. "I don't know, Julie. Maybe he was telling the truth."

"He wasn't," Julie insisted. "His eye was twitching—"

Ben, you are way to honest for your own good, Gwen thought.

"—and I just know he's hiding something. I'm worried about him."

"I'll talk to him, Julie," Gwen promised.

"And he won't answer his phone when I call," Julie continued as if Gwen hadn't spoken, her voice cracking and breaking with tears. "I know he cares about me because yesterday we were making out on his bed and I thought we were going to go all the way—" she abruptly cut herself off and Gwen could feel the radiation of Julie's blush even through the phone.

Gwen smiled sadly. Ben really did love Julie. "I'm sure he has a reason, Julie," was all she said, thinking, You don't know the half of it.

"Could you just… tell him to call me? Please?" Julie begged Gwen.

"I'll do what I can, Julie," she said gently.

"Thanks," she whispered and hung up quietly.

Gwen sighed and stared at her phone for a long moment.

Kevin came back into the room bearing two cold sodas. "How'd that go?" he asked her, slinging his arm around her shoulders and hugging her lightly against his side.

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "We've got to do something, Kevin."

"Like what?" he asked.

"I don't know," she murmured and closed her eyes. "I really don't know."

…

Ben caught up with Gwen later that night. He was pale and had deep dark circles under his green eyes. It looked like he hadn't slept a wink the night before and Gwen could understand why. He had ripped his heart out to protect Julie.

"Hey Gwen," he said as he entered her bedroom. "What's up?"

"I'm glad you're here, Ben," she murmured. One thing at a time, ease into it, she reminded herself. If she brought Julie up right away, Ben would bolt. "We need to talk about what we're going to tell Jimmy to put on the internet to stop this ridiculous incest story."

He sat down heavily on her bed. Without his jacket on, he looked frail and thin and his black t-shirt only made him look pale and sick. "Actually, Gwen, I wanted to talk to you about that," he began. "I… I don't want to change that."

"What?" she breathed. "Please, don't tell me that it's true."

Ben glared at her. "No, Gwen. It's just… this way the spotlight will be off Julie. I know you can take care of yourself."

"But Ben, do you have any idea what this will do to your reputation?"

He closed his eyes. "I don't care about that."

Gwen's heart skipped a beat. Ben didn't care about his reputation? God, he really did love Julie. "But Ben," she whispered.

"Is it okay with you, Gwen? If it's not, I'll just have Jimmy make up a mystery girl for me to be in love with."

"I think you should do that, Ben. I don't think this is a good idea."

He nodded. "I will." Then, he stood up and prepared to leave.

Gwen caught his wrist. "Wait, Ben. We need to talk about Julie."

He trembled. "I can't," he whispered.

"But, Ben, she's really hurt. You have to at least talk to her."

"I can't, Gwen," he whispered. "If I do, I'll…"

She embraced him. "Ben, you're both hurting so badly. There has to be another way to do this."

He pulled away from her. "There isn't. All I care about is keeping Julie safe."

"But Ben—"

"No, Gwen!" he shouted, his grass-green eyes welling with tears. "You don't understand how much I love her, but when Animo took her, I was so afraid! I was terrified that I'd lose her! I never want to feel that way again!" His voice softened sadly. "I'm not a real hero, Gwen. I'm just a kid with a special super-powered watch. I'm not cut out for this…"

"But Ben," she whispered.

He shook his head. "I can't do it, Gwen. I've… I've got to go." Then, he turned and practically fled the room.

Gwendolyn Tennyson prided herself on her brains and know-how. She was confident that there was no problem she couldn't work out, no issue she couldn't fix, no task she couldn't accomplish. But, for the first time in her life, Gwen knew what was best for her cousin and all involved, but she had no idea how to go about fixing anything. She didn't know how to help. She didn't know how to heal Ben and Julie's relationship or fix Ben's fears or find a way to give them more time together or even stop the slew of bad guys invading Earth. For the first time in her life, she had absolutely no idea what to do.

~End Part III~

(1) A fun fact, harangue is a word and actually means: a long, passionate, and vehement speech, especially one delivered before a public gathering. It fits him well, no?

Questions, comments, concerns?